Born Quote by William Stafford

My question is "when did other people give up the idea of being a poet?" You know, when we are kids we make up…

— William Stafford

People are born with the knack to write poems and songs. I'm not a poet at all.

— Petra Haden

I began the way nearly everybody I ever heard of - I began writing poetry. And I find that to be quite usual with…

— Shelby Foote

It wasn't a deliberate decision to become a poet. It was something I found myself doing - and loving. Language became an addiction.

— Yusef Komunyakaa

Why does one always ask a writer why they stopped? I am sure everyone finds in any drawer a few dear poems.

— Peter Bichsel

“When did most of us stop being poets?”

— Michael St. George

It is funny, and also a bit sad, that poets are so often asked to justify our vocation. There seems to be something vaguely…

— Matthew Zapruder

More people than ever are slowly but surely turning their ears toward poetry

— Saul Williams

People want poetry. They need poetry. They get it. They don't want fancy work.

— Mary Oliver

People think they're gonna make a living off poetry. Ten years ago, maybe a couple of people did. Right now, no one, I don't…

— Nick Tosches

Being a poet is like having an invisible partner. It isn't easy. But you can't live without it either. Talent is only 10 per…

— Selima Hill

It may very well be that we have entered another time when most poets will feel compelled to use poetry to stop things from…

— Matthew Zapruder